Individuals who start an online application by 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2014, will have until 11:59 p.m. on April 15, 2014, to complete their application and select a plan. To start an application, the consumer must take at least the following steps:

Create an online account.

Fill out all required information on the “Apply for Benefits” page and hit “Continue.” Page 1 contains two required fields

After hitting “Continue,” individuals will be taken to the “Consent for Verification” page, where they need to click on “Save & Exit.”

They must return to their online account no later than April 15 to complete the application and select a plan.

Paper applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2014 to meet the open-enrollment deadline for 2014 Covered California plans. To guarantee coverage beginning May 1, 2014, however, consumers are encouraged to enroll online.

Unlike Covered California, the Medi-Cal program does not have a deadline and consumers can continue to enroll throughout the year.

Outside of open enrollment, consumers can enroll in Covered California if a “qualifying event” changes their situation.